A pair of moss agate and ruby gold cufflinks
by Carl Fabergé,

each terminal centred by an oval moss agate, mounted over a pink
coloured foil and encircled by calibre cut rubies, yellow gold,
the reverse of each terminal finely engraved with floral motifs.

1.7 cm by 1.3 cm

St. Petersburg, circa 1900,
 inventory number: 93058

A similar pair of Fabergé cufflinks, with moss agates over grey foil and encircled
by diamonds were in the collection of Tsar Nicholas II. They were a present for his
birthday in 1898 from Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess
Maria Pavlovna. The cufflinks are contained in an album painted by the Tsar
recording jewels he received as gifts from family members and close friends.

A series of designs for near identical moss agate and ruby cufflinks are
contained in the Holmström workshops design books (see below).The
engraving to the reverse of the cufflinks is also highly characteristic of
jewels from the Holmströms’ workshop.

Fabergé knew moss agates such as these as Orskaia Jaspers. Franz Birbaum,
the firm’s workshop manager discusses their use in his memoirs. He recalls
how the craftsmen were astonished by the patterns within the stone

Design for similar cufflinks from the Holmstrom designs books.